Valve having improved flushing means



March 29, 1960 w, EDDY ETAL 2,930,395

VALVE HAVING IMPROVED FLUSHING MEANS Filed Dec. 28. 1956 INVENTORS W. R. [00) N. R. BVERS f F/G A 7' TOR/VEYS United tatesPatent William R. Eddy and Norman R. Byers, Bartlesville,

kla., assignors to Phillips'Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Application December 28, 1956, Serial No. 631,100

7 Claims. (Cl. 137-240) This invention relates to valves, in particular valves of the gate and globe types. In another aspect it relates to valves having novel flushing means to remove the accumulation of solids and other foreign material from the seats of the valves. 7

The eflicient operation of valves used to control the flow of fluids bearing solids or other clogging materials often is hampered bythe accumulation or deposition of solid material such as sand, rust, silt, various gritty substances, and the like, on the internal working surfaces of the valves. The accumulation of solids on the seats of the valves prevents effective openingand closing of the valves and often results in leakage. Some solids which accumulate on valve seats have an abrasive effect which necessitates frequent replacement of the valve and/ or valve seats because of resulting wear. The accumulation of solids on the valve seats also tends to cause difficulties in manipulating the valve and tends to cause the valve to stick.- These difliculties have been ameliorated in part by using various prior art flushing attachments but these attachments have not been always eflective since the flushing fluids are not discharged directly onto the valve seats, and, consequently, do not effectively remove or flush oft the accumulated foreign material. V

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide improved valves, such as the gate and globe types. Another object is to provide valves having novel flushing means whereby solids accumulated on the seats of the valves can be effectively removed. A further object is to provide improved valves which will not stick or wear out due to the accumulation of solid material on the valve seats. Other objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, from the following discussion, the accompanying drawing, and appended claims.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a gate valve in partial cross-section with certain parts broken away, illustrating one embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational enlarged view in cross-secition of the flushing attachment of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2.

outlet conduits. Surmounting the valve body 11 is a shown. As is common practice, the valve body 11 at the Figure 4 is an elevational view of 'a globe valve in partial cross-section with certain parts broken away, illustrating another embodiment of our'invention.

Figure 5 is an elvationalenlarged view of the flushing attachment of Figure 4 shown in partial cross-section.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 5 taken along the plane indicated. Broadly contemplated, our invention comprises a valve, such as the gate or globe type, having a flushing attachment adapted to discharge a spray or jet of flushing fluid from an external source directly onto the valve seat where solids may have accumulated or deposited.

Referring to the drawing, and to Figure 1 in particular,

a conventional gate valve (in its open position) is shown modified according to our invention. The gate valve comprises a valve body or casing 11 having flanged connections 12, 1.3 adapted to be secured to suitable inlet and removable cap or bonnet 14 which can have a suitable packing gland through which extends a valve stem 16; the latter can be provided at its upper end with a handwheel 17, as shown or motor in combination with other suitable and well known mechanism for raising and low-' ering valve stem 16. Secured to the lower end of the valve stem 16 is a valve head or gate 18 which is adapted to vertically move by turning the handwheel 17. The interior or valve chamber of the valve body 11 is provided with a pair of inclined valve ring seats 19, 20 adapted to register with the valve head 18. Valve head 18 is shown raised to its open position. Although the" valve seats 19, 20 are shown in an integral construction, replaceable valve seats can be provided in place of that region below the plane of movement of the valve head 18 is provided with a sump or recess 21. The structure described so far may be conventional gate valve structure.

As stated hereinabove, solid'material may tend to ac nection 23 can be suitably. secured to the valve body 11 by a weld or the like. When the gate valve is normally operating a suitable plug (not shown) canbe fitted into the threaded connection 26 interiorly provided at the lower end of connection 23. This plug can be removed and replaced with a conduit to introduce flushing fluid into the valve body 11 from an external source. The upper end of the connection 23 is provided with a plate 27 which may be separable from or integral with connection 23. The diameter of plate 27 will vary withthe size of the valve. The plate 27 is provided with a pair of vertically inclined slots '28, 29, the upper ends of and a fluid line is in communication with the inlet and 7 outlet chambers of the valve, solid foreign material may tend to accumulate or deposit on the valve seats 19, 20. As stated hereinbefore, such foreign material will prevent the eflicient operation of the valve. To remove the accumulation of foreign material, the plug in the lower end of the flushing attachment 22 can beremoved, preferably when no fluid isbeing conducted in the fluid line in which the valve is connected, and a suitable flushing line inserted in place of the plug. Obviously, the flushing line need not replace the plug only when flushing the valve seats 19, 20 but can remain in place when the valve is normally operating, and moreover, the plug can be disin. the

pensed with and the flushing line made integral flushing attachment 22.

With the valve head 18 raised off valve seats 19, 20,

and with the flushing attachment 22 installed with a suitable flushing line connected at 26 to the tubular connection 23, flushing fluid such as water under pressure, etc., is sprayed into the interior of the valve. The flushing fluid passes upwardly through the pair of vertically inclined slots 28, 29 and is sprayed directly onto the valve seats 19, 20. This spray is directly onto the valve seats 19, 20 because the slots 18, 29 are in inclined alignment therewith. Any foreign material accumulated on the valve seats 19, 20 will accordingly be flushed off and the efiicient operation of the valve will be insured.

ther foreign material which may have accumulated on other interior portions of the valve, such as on the valve head 18, or in the valve sump 21, will also be substantially removed, especially if the plate 27 of the tubular connection 23 is provided with other slots, not necessarily aligned with the valve seats 19, 20, such as transverse slot 32. After flushing is completed, or repeated 3. number of times, the flushing line is preferably removed from the valve body and replaced with a suitable plug. The removed foreign material may be subsequently carried into the stream of fluid passing through the valve.

Referring now to Figure 4, a conventional globe valve (in its closed position) is shown modified according to the practice of our invention. The valve body 41 is provided with internal extending partitions 42, 43 which terminate in substantially the center of valve body 41 to form a horizontal partition adapted to function as a valve seat 44 having a circular valve opening 45. A removable seat ring can be substituted for the integral construction shown. Surmounting the valve stem 35 'is a. handwheel 40 and secured to the lower end of valve stem 35 is a valve head 46 which is slidably disposed to register with valve seat 44. Valve head 46 is shown in its lowered position. The structure described so far may be that of a conventional globe valve.

To remove any accumulation of solid material from the valve seat 44 according to the practice of our invention, the lower portion of the valve body 41 is provided with a novelfiushing attachment generally designated 47, clearly shown in Figures 5, 6. The attachment 47 comprises a tubular fluid connection 48, the upper end of which passes through the lower portion of the valve body 41 and can be suitably secured thereto by a weld or the like. The connection 48 has a central passage 49 into the lower inner threaded portion 51 of which can be fitted a plug or flushing conduit. The passage 49 is internally restricted by reason of a perforated plate 52 which can be integral with the connection 48. The perforated plate 52 is provided with a plurality of openings 53 which can be arranged in a circle. The perforated plate 52 can be provided with a countersunk bore 54 which is opened at its upper end to a passage or deflector chamber 56 in the upper portion of connection 48. The upper end of chamber 56 communicates with valve chamber 55. A deflector member generally designated 57 is disposed within chamber 56 and comprises an annular head 58, the lower edge of which can be beveled, surmounting a stem 59, the lower portion of which fits, in

bore 54 and can be secured therein by a weld or the like. The deflector head 58 is so sized that an annular opening 61 is provided between the periphery of deflector head 58 and the upper end of chamber 56. The annular opening 61 is in substantial vertical alignment with the valve opening 45 defined by valve seat 44.

The flushing attachments of our invention are preferably connected to the lower portions of their valve bodies but alternatively can be connected to the upper or other portions of the valve bodies so long as the spray or jet of flushing fluid is focused directly on the valve seats.

In operation, when the globe valve of Figure 4 is open and a fluid .line is in communication withthe inlet and outlet chambers of the valve, solid foreign material may tend to accumulate or deposit on the valve seat 44. To remove this foreign material, the plug in the lower end of the flushing attachment 47 can be removed and a suitable flushing line inserted in place of the plug. With the valve head 46 raised from seat 44, flushing fluid is sprayed into the valve chamber, preferably when no fluid is being conducted in the fluid line in which the valve is connected. The flushing fluid passes upwardly through openings 53 into chamber 56 and thence through the annular opening 61. The flushing fluid is sprayed directly onto the walls of the valve seat 44 which define valve opening 45, thus flushing off or dislodging any foreign material which may have accumulated thereon. Since the annular opening 61 is in substantial vertical alignment with valve seat 44, the force of the flushing fluid is directly focused onto the accumulated solids, thus elfecting the eflicient and ready cleansing of the valve seat 44.

The objects of our invention were achieved in reducing our invention to practice by successfully employing conventional valves modified according to our invention, especially where such valves were used in process lines conveying catalyst slurries where valves having conventional flushing attachments were used before without successful removal of accumulated solids from the valve seats.

Various modifications of our invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope and spirit of our invention, and it is to be understood that the foregoing discussion and accompanying drawing merely represent illustrative and preferred embodiments of our invention.

We claim: a

1. In a flow rate control valve including a valve body defining a valve chamber and axially aligned inlet and outlet openings communicating therewith, an imperiorate valve head mounted for vertical movement within said chamber, and seating means with which said valve head is adapted to register, the improvement comprising a flushing attachment secured to the lower portion of said valve body beneath said seating means, said attach ment having a restricted passage in communication with said chamber, deflecting means disposed within said passage and definingin part said passage, said passage being arranged and positioned to discharge an upwardly di rected jet of fluid from an external source directly onto said seating means.

2. In a flow rate control valve including a valve body defining a valve chamber and axially aligned inlet and outlet openings, an imperforate valve head mounted for vertical movement within said chamber, seating means mounted within said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings and upon which said'valve head is adapted to register, and means for moving said valve head between open and closed positions, the improvement comprising a flushing attachment secured to the lower por tion of said valve body beneath said seating means, said attachment comprising a tubular connection defining a first passage adapted for connection with a conduit con ducting flushing fluid from an external source, a restricted passage in said connection communicating said first passage with said valve chamber, and deflecting means disposed within said connection and defining said restricted passage, the latter being in substantial align ment with said seating means and being arranged and positioned to discharge an upwardly directed jet of said flushing fluid directly onto said seating means when said valve is in its open position, whereby foreign material accumulated on said seating means is dislodged.

3. In a gate valve including a valvebody defining a valve chamber and axially aligned inlet and outlet openings, an irnperforate valve gate mounted for vertical movement within said chamber, seating members mounted within said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings and upon which said valve gate is adapted to register, and means for moving said valve gate between open'and closed positions, the improvement comprising a'flushing attachment'secured to-the-lower portion of said valve body "beneath said =seatingmen1bers,

said attachment comprising a tubular connection defining a first passage adapted for connection with a conduit conducting flushing fluid from an external source, a plate secured to the upper end of said connection transverse said first passage, and second passages passing through said plate and communicating said first passage with said valve chamber, said second passage being arranged and positioned to discharge said flushing fluid in an upward direction directly onto said seating members when said valve is in its open position.

4. In a gate valve including a valve body defining a valve chamber and axially aligned inlet and outlet openings, an imperforate valve gate mounted for vertical movement within said chamber, seating members mounted within said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings and upon which said valve gate is adapted to register, and means for moving said valve gate be-' tween open and closed positions, the improvement comprising a flushing attachment secured to the lower portion of said valve body beneath said seating members, said attachment comprising a tubular connection defining a first passage adapted for connection with a conduit conducting flushing fluid from an external source, a plate secured to the upper end of said connection transverse said first passage, and at least two slots passing through said plate and communicating at their upper ends with said valve chamber and at their lower ends with said first passage, each of said slots being in substantial alignment with one of said seating members and being arranged and positioned to discharge an upwardly directed jet of said flushing fluid directly onto each of said seating members when said valve is in its open position, whereby foreign material accumulating on said seating members is dislodged.

5. In a gate valve including a valve body defining a valve chamber and axially aligned inlet-and outlet openings, an imperforate valve gate mounted for vertical movement within said chamber, two vertically inclined seating surfaces mounted within said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings and upon which said valve gate is adapted to register, and means for moving said valve gatebetween open and closed positions, the improvement comprising a flushing attachment secured to the lower portion of said valve body beneath said seating surfaces, said attachment comprising a tubular connection defining a first passage adapted for connection with a conduit conducting flushing fluid from an external source, a plate secured to the upper end of said connection transverse said first passage, and 'at least two vertically inclined slots passing through said plate and communicating at their upper ends with said valve chamber and at their lower ends with said first passage, each of said slots being in substantial inclined alignment with one of said seating surfaces and being arranged and positioned to discharge an upwardly directed jet of said flushing fluid directly onto each of said seating surfaces, whereby foreign material accumulating on said surfaces is dislodged. v

6. In a globe valve including a valve body defining a valve chamber and axially aligned inlet and outlet openings, an imperforate valve head mounted for vertical movement within said chamber, a seating ring mounted within said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings and upon which said valve head is adapted to register, and means for moving said valve head between open and closed positions, the improvement comprising a flushing attachment secured to the lower portion of said valve body beneath said seating ring and in axial alignment therewith, said attachment comprising a tubular connection defining a first passage adapted for connection with a conduit conducting flushing fluid from an external source, chamber within said connection communicating at its lower'end with said first passage and at its upper end with said valve chamber through an annular second passage, and a deflecting member disposed within said chamber within said connection and defining in part said second passage, said second passages being arranged and positioned to discharge said flushing fiuid in an upward direction directly onto said seating ring when said valve is in its open position.

7. In a globe valve including a valve body defining a valve chamber and axially aligned inlet and outlet openings, an imperforate valve head mounted for vertical movement within said chamber, a seating ring mounted within said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings and upon which said valve head is adapted to register, and means for moving said valve head between open and closed positions, the improvement comprising a flushing. attachment secured to the lower portion of said valve body beneath said seating ring and in axial alignment therewith, said attachment comprising a tubular connection defining a first passage adapted for connection with a conduit conducting flushing fluid from an external source, a chamber within said connection communicating at its lower end through a plurality of openings with said first passage and at its upper end with said valve chamber through an annular second passage, and a deflecting member mounted in said chamberwithin said connection, said member having an annular head, the periphery of which defines in part said second passage, the latter being in substantial vertical alignment with said seating ring and being arranged and positioned to discharge an upwardly directed annular jet of said flushing fluid directly onto said seating ring when said valve is in its open position, whereby foreign material accumulated on said seating ring is dislodged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 330,683 Dick Nov. 17, 1885 833,614 Mierswa a-.. Oct. 16, 1906 870,487 Bertram Nov. 5, 1907' 1,576,993 Pennington Mar. 16,1926 2,378,607 Watts June 19, 1945 1 2,528,660 Lavere Nov. 7, 1950 2,600,836 Boyd June 17, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 541,695 Germany Jan. 14, 1932 58,198 Norway "July 19, 1937 p UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,930,395 March 29 1960 William R. Eddy et a1,-

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line 7 Y for "passage"; read passages column 6, line l,l before chamber, insert a Signed and sealed this 31st day of January 1 9610 (SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSUN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

